Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
first, survey respondents were second year e-
commerce students who had completed courses
in introductory e-commerce business studies and
Web-based design and development subjects.
Therefore, they meet the criteria of competence
and experience. Second, as e-commerce students,
they are required by their studies to spend ex-
tensive time online (approximately 20 hours per
week). They thus meet the criterion of consistent
time spent online. Third, expert consumers are
also more likely to have subscribed to a Web
site and purchased online. Approximately 54%
of the sample population had purchased goods
or services over the Internet. This is well above
the population average for online purchasing,
where only 10% had done so (Australian Bureau
of Statistics, 2001). In addition, 80% of the sample
had subscribed to commercial or government Web
sites by exchanging personal information for free
services. Thus, the sample meets the criterion of
having experience in subscribing to a Web page
and purchasing online.
Collecting and interpreting data about Internet
use is not straightforward because of inadequacies
in sampling frame. A number of factors compro-
mise random sampling statistical measures in
Internet research such as users holding multiple
e-mail accounts and maintaining different identi-
fies to log into different commercial and noncom-
mercial Web sites. Therefore, while numerous
Internet directories are available online, their
reliability is questionable compared to sampling
frames such as the commercially controlled and
updated telephone listings by telecommunication
companies. Consequently, the Internet population
typifies characteristics of a “hidden population”
(Heckathorn, 1997). The defining characteristics
of a “hidden population” are that no sample frame
exists, as the size and boundaries of the population
are unknown. Other researchers have identified
similar problems in conducting Internet research
(Aladwani, 2002; Wyatt, Thomas, & Terranova,
2002) and consider the appropriateness of uni-
versity/college students a useful representative
sample of Internet and computer users (see
Wierschem & Brodnax, 2003). Nevertheless, a
convenience sample reduces the generalisability
of the findings to the larger Internet population.
However, this sample was considered adequate
and useful for the current research to address
“expert” Internet users' privacy concerns. Fur-
thermore, it is argued that the “expert” online user
will continue as the dominant Internet cohort in
light of emergent research that indicates that less
educated, younger Internet users are “logging
off” (Katz & Rice, 2002). Arguably, education is
a significant demographic indicator in continued
Internet usage—combined with other access
factors (income, etc.). Finally, when it is borne
in mind that response rate to sample surveys are
often low and declining, the research differences
between random and convenience samples in
terms of their representativeness is not always as
great as some researchers wish to imply (Bryman
& Cramer, 2001).
survey measures
Expert users were surveyed using a self-ad-
ministered instrument including a participant's
information sheet and instructions for participants.
The survey instrument was developed from three
main sources. First, questions relating to e-privacy
issues were derived from the Australian Federal
Government privacy fact sheet concerning con-
sumers' shopping on the Internet (Department
of Communications Information Technology and
the Arts, 2002). This fact sheet was developed as
a result of extensive research by the Australian
Federal Government and reflects international best
practice procedures for online consumer privacy.
As such it identifies key privacy protection indica-
tors applicable to household online users when
interacting and purchasing on the Internet. These
privacy protection indicators were particularly
considered appropriate for use in this study, as
they encompass both attitudes and behaviors
towards online privacy protection.
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